Hay loader and stacker



ou. 19, 1943. C, THQR 2,332,029

HAY LOADER AND sTAcKER" Cannes C. Tuoz Oct. 19, 1943. c. c. THOR2,332,029

HAY LOADER AND STACKER Filed Aug. 1:5. 1942 4 sheets-sheet 2 rooglwuc/wfm @Names L Tunez.

oct. 19, 1943.l

c. c. THOR l 2,332,029

' HAY LOADER AND STACKER Fiied Aug. 1:5, 1942 4 sheets-sheet s CannesG.. Tnoz.

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@ci 19, 943. Q C, THOR 2,33229 HAY LOADER AND STACKER l Filed Aug. 13.1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 CHAzLe's C. man.

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shown in Fig. 4.`

Patented Oct. 19, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAY LOADER ANDSTACKER Charles C. Thor, Stillwater, Minn.

Application August 13, 1942, Serial No. 454,644

3 Claims. (Cl. 214-140) This invention relates to improvements inimplements for handling hay and similar forage crops or combined straw.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an implement of asimple, durable and sturdy form by which the operations of sweep raking,s tacking and loading hay, and similar crops, may be readily and rapidlycarried out. Another object is to provide a machine or implement of thiskind adapted for convenient attachment to, and detachment from, anordinary farm tractor to utilize the power of the tractor for travelmovement and for all manipulations incl'- dent to the handling of thecrop, but in which the machine is arranged for supporting the greaterpart of its weight itself, to thereby relieve the tractor of excessiveloads. A further object is to provide a machine of this nature which isof compact form and which embodies supporting wheels arranged formanipulation with and by the steering wheels of the tractor so that themachine-tractor combination will handle and steer easily over even theroughest terrain ordinarily encountered in the `eld. Still a furtherobject of the invention is to provide a machine having the capacity tohandle large loads and with novel and eifective control and poweractuating means for controlling and carrying out all of the requiredoperations. A

These and other more detailed and specic objects will be disclosed inthe course of the following specication, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal verticalsectional view through my implement, showing the same as mounted on atractor'and with the hay fork and rake device in its lowered position.

Fig.` 21s a fragmentary perspective view of the fork or rake alone. e

Fig. 3 is an enlarged'fragmentary detail view in side elevation of thesupporting pivot means for the fork carrier.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the implementtractor combination, viewingthesame from the side opposite to that shown in Fig. 1, and showing thefork in raised and dumping positions.

Fig. 5 is anenlarged plan view of the main frame construction of theimplement tractor.

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the invention as Fig. 7 is an enlargedfragmentary view of a forward end of the implement showing details ofthe fork supporting means.

Referring now with more particularity to the drawings, I have shown myinvention as attached to and used in combination with a conventionalform of tractor, designated generally at A, having an engine B driving abelt pulley C on one side and a rearwardly extending power take-oilshaft D (Fig. 5) at the back. The engine also oi course drives the reartraction wheels E which are partially covered by fenders F and theforward end of the tractor is supported by front wheels G which may besteered by a steering member H (Fig. 5) operated by the steering wheelJ. The wheels G are connected by an oscillating front axle K on thesteering post L, and the tractor also includes the rearwardly extendingdraw bar M. 'I'he shaft D and pulley C constitute two separate powertake-off connections to which connection may be made for power operationof stacker parts as will Abe evident.

The implement of my invention comprises a main or transport frame whichis 'of rectangular shape made up of sides or side members I0 and I I andtransverse front and rear members or cross pieces I2 and I3, theassembled frame being of such size as to surround the tractor A as bestseen in Fig. 5. Suitable bracing I4 is provided at the corners of theframe to makel the same rigid. The frame is of course wider than thetractor and considerably longer to permit room for steering operationsof the tractor and the mounting of various parts of the implement aswill be described.

This frame is adapted to be transported by the tractor and for thispurpose I provide on the rear cross member ,I3l a bracket I5 having anopening to pass a pin I6 which fits the draw bar M of the tractor. v Inthis manner the rear end of the frame is supported above the ground. Atthe forward end the frame is provided with its own Wheels I'I which aremounted on axles I8 tted on the vforward cross member I2 and whichsupport the frame and level it both front to back and crosswise. Toprevent lateral movements of the front end of the frame relative to thetractor a connecting device I9 is provided comprising forwardly divergiglinks 20 which are pivoted at f their widespread forward ends to a pin2| carried and the Y in brackets 22 secured to forward cross member I2,and at their rear ends these links carry a pin 23 mounted through abracket 24 welded, or otherwise secured, to the front axle K of thetractor at its center. The opening in this bracket 24 for the pin 23 iselongated to provide sufficient play and permit relative up and downmovements of the front end of thel frame and tractor as will each sidemember i8 and Il 'at points slightly to the 'I'hese tie bars are in orrearward by draw its ends carries a bracket 21 to which is pivoted. joneend of a bell-crank lever 28. This lever is fulcrumed at 28 on thefront cross member I2 (Fig. and at ,its other end is pivotally con-.nected to a steering rod 38 extending rearwardly and having adetachable socket connection 3|' to a ball 32 welded on the steeringmember H of the tractor.- Then connections are so made that the wheelsi1 will be steered in accordance with steering movements of the tractorwheels G to thus cause'the frame, and all parts supported thereon,tohandle and steer as a unit with 1 the tractor.

The main frame iscompleted by upright supporting parts or members 33 and34 erected on rear of center and which parts are rigidly'connected atupper ends by a rigidly secured by forwardly and downwardly angled bracebars or members 36, secured to upper ends of the posts and to forwardcorners of the base frame, Vand by auxiliary stay ,bars 31 arranged asshown.

The main frame thus constructed supports a swinging carrier frame madeup of two similar, triangular side cradles or rocker frames, designatedgenerally ,at 38 and 38, connected by a cross beam 40 and suitablebracing 4|. The cradles or rocker frames 38 and 38 comprise main membersor booms 42 which at their rear or upper ends are pivotally mounted upontransversely and horizontally axised and laterally extending pins 43secured to upper ends of the posts 33 and 34, orto the cross member 35.Thrust bars 44 are secured at one end` at 45 to the booms 42, near theirforward ends, and extend angularly rearward and downward therefrom;andbetween the rear and widespread ends of the booms and thrust bars spacedtie bars are secured to the parts to complete the triangularVconfiguration of the cradles or rocker frames. pairs with the innermostones 48 secured as at 41 to the pivoted ends of the booms 42, while theoutermost bars 48 are secured, as at 48, to the ends of the cross beam48 which ends are laterally extended beyond the points at which they areare spread apart laterally at upper ends (Fig. 6) providing lateralstiffening for each triangular frame and particularly preventing rearends of the thrust bars 44 from swaying from side to side. Additionalbracing is provided by brace bars 50 between booms and thrust bars, andby the bracing 4I which is secured between the booms It will be apparentfrom the foregoing that the two triangular cradles thus formed may swingup and down in upright longitudinal planes at the side of the main frameand that the forward ends of the booms 42 may be raised and loweredforwardly of the tractor and implement.

The work holding4 device is hereinafter referred to as the fork,although it is used also as a sweep or rake,

side of the machine,

of the base framefastened to the booms. As a result the tie bars of eachpair, or at each and the cross beam 48.v

and it comprises a series of parallel but only as lateral stays,

teeth or fingers 5I of elongated form secured near rear ends below across bar or beam 52. To the rear ends of the teeth a back bar 53 issecured and runs parallel with and to the rear of the cross bar 52. Arake back or back board 54 is erected upon the back bar 53 and comprisesspaced uprights 55 joined at upper ends byy a cross board 58 and bracedin position by downwardly and forwardly angled braces 51 at each side.These side braces 51 are-secured at upper ends at 58 to the cross boardand at lower ends at 58 to an angle 88 secured on'the cross bar 52.VBetween the ,sides the bracing is supplemented by brace rods 8|, asclearly shown. and other bracing is providedl by bridging 82 between thebars 52 and 53. The teeth or fingers extend some distance forwardly oftheback board and attheir forward ends are provided with pointed,runner-like shoes 83.

The forward ends ofthebooms 42 pass ,for-

wardly between certain of the uprights 55 and are received betweenspaced pairs .of..fbrackets` f 64` securedto rear sides of the crossvbar 52.

, cross beam or header 35. The posts further are 'Iransverselyand-horizontally axised pins 85 are pivoted through the'brackets 84 andthe boom ends to pivotally support the fork from the booms but permitrelative ,pivoting movements therebetween. The booms 42 are, of course,of such length that, when they are lowered, the fork may rest with itsrear edge near the ground forward of the main frame of the implement andwith the 'ngers 52 extended forwardly and downwardly to ride at forwardends on the ground as best seen in Fig. 1. In this position the boomsrest upon stops 86 secured to the corners of the main frame and fallbetween outwardly curved guides 61 which prevent lateral displacement,the stops also relieving operating parts of strain when the fork islowered.

For raising and lowering the booms and fork I provide connections to thepower take-0E shaft M of the tractor which will now be described. Aconventional form of clutch 68 is mounted upon the shaft M with itscontrol mechanism 89 arranged to be actuated by a foot pedal 10 mountedon one fender F. By operating this pedal f the shaft M may be connectedto, or disconnected from, a stub shaft 1i forming a part of the clutchas will lbe apparent. A brake mechanism 12 is also arranged inconnection with the clutch to permit brakingforces to be applied to andre moved from this shaft 1I and this mechanism is 'controlled by suchmeans as a foot pedal 13, or if more convenient by a hand lever (notshown). A drive shaft 14 is journaled in bearings 15 along one side ofthe base frame and at its rear end carries a sprocket 16 in line with adrive sprocket 11 secured to the stub shaft 1l so that a sprocket chain418 may be arranged to transmit the drive.

The chain 18 passes also around idler sprockets 19 arranged in aswinging frame 80 and normally adjusted by a spring 8| (Fig. 6) to holdthe chain taut even when the implement moves relative to the tractor asit does in travel over rough ground.

At its forward end the drive shaft 14 is connected through a gear box82to a transverse spool o r drum shaft 83 which is journaled at its endsthrough bearings 84 secured to the braces 38 near the forward corners ofthe main frame. Spools or cable drums 85 are secured to the ends of theshaft 83 outwardly of said braces and cables 88 (one at each side) arewound at their respective ends upon the drums, trained upwardly andrearwardly over pulleys 81 mounted on the braces, upwardly and then backforwardly over pulleys 88 on rear ends of the thrust bars 44. andfinally secured at their other ends at 89 to the braces above thepulleys 81. Obviously the rotation of the spools or drums 85, in theproper direction to wind the cables 86 thereon, will result inshortening the cables and pulling forward on the ends of the thrust bars44 to .exert upward and forward lifting forces upon thevbooms 42, whileunwinding the cables will lower the booms. It is understood of coursethat the weight. on the booms is so distributed that they will descendof their own weight as the cables pay out from the drums.

A countershaft or fork control shaft 90 is arranged parallel with andabove the shaft 83. being journalled at its ends in bearings 9| securedto the braces 36, and this shaft carries a belt pulley 92 over which,and over the pulley C of the tractor, is trained a belt 93. A tightenerpulley 94 is journaled on an arm 95 pivoted at 96 on the side of thetractor and the arm may be oscillated by a control member or rod 91 toshafts 14 and 83 to rotate the drums 85 and wind up the cables 86. Whenthe clutch is disengaged the brake 12 will hold the fork at the adjustedlevel and the machine may be run to the stack or wagon withoutinterference from the fork. To deposit the load the fork is then tilteddownwardly as seen in broken lines in Fig. 4,

this being 'accomplished by momentarily releasing the clutch |06allowing the shaft 90 to turn free and slacking off the cables 99. Themachine may then be backed away and the fork leveled again bymanipulating the control member 91 to engage the idler pulley 94 andtighten the belt 93 whereupon the cables 99 will be tightened and thefork pulled up to the desired position. The fork may be lowered to theground ready for the next operation by releasing the brake 12 throughmanipulation of. the pedal or lever 13, this operation permitting theshafts 14 and 83 to turn free of the connection to the power take-offand the fork and carrier frames 38 and 39 descendcause the pulley totighten lthe belt and establish driving connection to the shaft 90 aswill be apparent. Normally the pulley 94 is held out of contact with thebelt to hang slack so that no drive is transmitted to the shaft.

Cables 99 are connected at their forward bridle ends |00 to the backboard 54 of the fork, near each side thereof, and these cables runrearwardly over pulleys |0| carried by the cross member and thendownwardly toward the shaft 90, the other ends of the cables beingconnected to short lengths of chain |02 which are secured to and woundabout the shaft near its ends. When the shaft is rotated to wind up thechain a pull will be exerted on the cables tilting the fork about theaxes of the pins v(iii and raising the forward ends of the rake iingers5|. When the chain is unwound the cables will be slacked off to reversethis movement, it being understood that the fork is so balanced by itsconstruction that it will normally of its own weight tend to tiltdownwardly at its forward end.

The fork control shaft 90 is also connected to the shaft 83, each shaftcarrying a sprocket, designated respectively at |03 and |03, over whichruns a sprocket chain |05. The sprocket |08 is connected through aconventional form of clutch |06 to the shaft 90 and the controlmechanism of this clutch is actuated by a cable |01 connected to a footpedal |08 on the tractor fender F. The clutch normally connects theshaft 90 to shaft 83 so that both rotate at the same time i and so thatthe shaft 90 will be locked when crop until the fork is full. Forstacking or loading, the fork when thus loaded is firsttilted ing oftheir own weight. All operations are seen to be readily carried out bystraight forward and simple manipulation of the controls and with nicetyof control over all movements, making it easy after but little practiceto rapidly carry out all of the heretofore laborious work of handlingcrops of this nature.

It will be evident that as the fork is raised from loading to dumpingpositions (Fig. 1 to Fig. 4) the distance between the points ofattachment of the cables 99 tothe fork and the pivot axis of the.

pins 43 will gradually increase due to the comparative leveragesinvolved and the normal eect i of this function' would be to graduallytilt the fork rearwardly, or upwardly at its forward edge.

` This action would increase the higher the fork back slightly to levelit as seen in broken lines lwas raised and unless counteracted wouldpossibly cause the load to fall back upon the tractor or would sodisturb it that parts at least would fall clear.

It is, to correct this that I have provided the sprocket chainconnection between the shafts 83 and 90. As the fork is raised the shaft83 is of course rotated and the sprocket chain |05 causes acorresponding rotation of the shaft 90,

through the normally-engaged clutch |06, so that the chains |02 aregradually unwound and the cables 99 lengthened to preserve the level ofthe fork. By properly proportioning the ratio between the sprockets |03and |09 this rotation of the shaft may obviously be caused to exactlycompensate for the increase in effective distance between the forkconnections (of the cables) and the pivot center as described above.When the fork is lowered the action is reversed to retain the fork levelin this operation also. During such times as the belt drive to the shaft90 is engaged to tilt the fork upwardly at its forward end the clutch|06 is of course released so that no interference is encountered fromthe sprocket chain connection to the shaft 83, and conversely it will beevident that when the clutch is reengaged the normally locked conditionof the shaft 63 Will lock the shaft 90 and thereby retain the tractor issimply driveninto the base frame over the rear end member I3 and thisend is then lifted and connected to the draw bar. end and steeringconnections are then made as Front previously described, and the variouspower and operating parts connected. These operations, and thoseincident to the disconnection of the implement, may be carried outquickly as will be evident.'

The front wheel support of the implement upon its own wheels I1 isimportant inasmuch as it relieves the tractor of excessive weights andstrains, permits the building of the implement in heavy and durable formand the handling of heavy pay loads. At the same time the steering ofthe wheels l'l and the flexibility for relative floating movementsbetween implement and tractor at the forward end causes the combinationto handle easily over all fields.

The positions and construction of all controls and driving connectionsto the tractor are of course subject to variations according to the typeof tractor to which the machine is to be attached.

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in thestructure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within thespirit and scope of the appended claims. Having now therefore fullyillustrated and described my invention, what I claim to be new anddesire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A tractor mounted hay loader and stacker comprising a swinging frameand tractor operated mechanism for raising and lowering the frame withrespect to the ground, a fork on the frame adapted in the loweredposition thereof to rake up the crop and in the raised position todeposit the crop upon a stack, the said fork being tiltably supportedupon the frame for adjusting the inclination of the fork relative to theground and for dumping the crop, a shaft and releasable means foroperating the same by tractor power, cables connected at one end to thefork and at their other ends adapted to be wound upon or unwound fromthe shaft to thereby tilt the fork, the said frame raising and loweringmechanism also including a shaft operated by the tractor, and meansconnecting the shafts whereby the cable adjusting shaft may be operatedby the shaft of said raising and lowering mechanism to progressivelyadjust the cables as the fork is raised and lowered.

2. A tractor mounted hay loader and stacker comprising a swinging frameand tractor operated mechanism for raising and lowering the frame withrespect to the ground, a fork on the frame adapted in the loweredposition thereof to rake up the crop and in the raised position todeposit the crop upon a stack, the said fork being tiltably supportedupon the frame for adjusting the inclination of the fork relative to theground and for dumping the crop, a shaft and releasable means foroperating the same by tractor power, cables connected at one end to thefork and at their other ends adapted to be wound upon or unwound fromthe shaft to thereby tilt the fork, the said frame raising and loweringmechanism also including a shaft operated by the tractor, meansconnecting the shafts whereby the cable adjusting shaft may be operatedby the shaft of said raising and lowering mechanism to progressivelyadjust the cables as the fork is raised and lowered, and said shaftconnecting means including a clutch for disabling the said connectionwhen the cable adjusting shaft is power actuated.

3. In a tractor mounted hay loader and stacker of the characterdescribed, a main frame supported upon the tractor, substantiallytriangular cradle frames arranged one at each side of the main frame andeach comprising a boom pivoted at one end to an upper part of the mainframe for up and down movements at forward ends ahead of the tractor,thrust bars connected to forward ends of the booms and extending backtherebeneath in diverging relation thereto, a cross beam connecting thepivoting ends of the booms and extending laterally therebeyond, staybars connected at lower ends to the thrust bars and diverging upwardlyto points of connection with said cross beam to laterally stiifen thecradle frames, and a fork connected to forward ends of the booms.

CHARLES C. THOR.

